Toboggan steering runners



Oct. 16, 195e s. ROHE 2,766,992

ToBoGGAN STEERING RUNNERS Filed June 16, 1954 INVENIOR. @Saue Rohe ATTE R N EYS United States Patent ToBoGGAN sTaERnvo RUNNERS Samuel Rohe, Hebbronv'ille, Tex.

Application June 16, 1954, Serial No. 437,064 4 Claims. y(C1. 23o-'22)' This invention relates to steering devices for toboggans, and nparticularto 'apai of semi-'flexible 'guide rodspositioned on the under surface fof aftobog'gan. The forward ends of the rods are rigidly held at the forward end of the tobog'gan with vthe ends 'of the rods 'at the trailing end of the toboggan secured to laterally slidable blocks. The blocks are connected by a spring Vand 'are adapted to be moved laterally with -cor'ds trained over pulleys and extended rearwardly from the forward end of the toboggan whereby the tobogganrnay befturned to the right or left or, byspreading`the guide rodsthe progress of the toboggan may be retarded or completely stopped.

The purpose of this invention is 'to provide means whereby a person positioned on a'tob'oggan'may positively guide, slow down or stop the toboggan.

Various types of steering devices 'have been provided for toboggans, particularly vWhere one side lis elevated; however, owing to Vthe speed of a toboggan it is diflicult to iniliien'ce la 'toboggan-fromthe linefof travel. With this thought inniind, this invention contemplates guide 'rods in the fomof runners positioned on the under or sliding surface of 'a toboggan and means vwhereby aperson positioned on a 'toboggan -rnay bend Vthe `runners laterally.

The object of v this invention is, therefore, to provide means for mounting runners or guide rods "on the under surface of a toboggan whereby bothfrunuers are adapted to be exed laterally tohguile the toboggan and wherein both-runners are adapted to be exed outwardly to retard or vstopvthe toboggan. t

Another object of the invention is Vto Yprovide steering and braking mechanism for a toboggan in which the mechanism is adapted to be installed on toboggans now in use.

v'A further object of the inventionis to provide v"a toboggan having steering and braking mechanism Linstalled thereon in which the toboggan is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in View, the invention embodies a toboggan having spaced stationary runners mounted on the under surface and positioned at the forward end, with the runners having arcuate ends that extend upwardly around a portion of the arcuate section at the forward end of a toboggan, semi-flexible rods extended from the stationary runners to points spaced rearwardly from the rear end of the toboggan, a pair of complementary blocks slidably mounted on the trailing end of the toboggan and connected to the semi-flexible rods, a spring positioned with one end connected to each of said blocks, and cables trained over pulleys rotatably mounted on the forward end of the toboggan and extended around pulleys on a trailing end thereof and said cables being connected to the blocks and having handreceiving rings on the opposite ends by which the cables are actuated by a person positioned on the toboggan.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

ice

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the improved toboggan showing the upper surface lthereof` and showing the cover of an enclosure at the rear broken away to show the sliding block and pulley therein.

'Figure 2 is a View looking upwardly toward the under surface of the toboggan.

Figure 3 is a detail showing a plan view of the rear end of a toboggan with 'the forward part 'of the toboggan broken away and'with the parts shown on an lenlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a rear elevational View lof the toboggan.

Figure 5 is a cross section through the rear end ofthe toboggan, being taken on -line SLS oft'Figue 2,

Referring now to the drawing wherein like v'reference characters denote corresponding parts, "the improved steering mechanism for a toboggan includes stationary guides or runners 10 and 11, Vflexible rods 12 and 13 positioned with the forward end of the rod v1-2 secured to the runner 10 and the forward Iend of the rod 13 secured to the runner 11, ysliding blocks 14 and 15, a spring 16 connecting the blocks 14 and 15 and cables 17 and 1% positioned with the cable 17, which is connected to the block 14, trained 'over a pulley 19 on the trailing end of the toboggan and also over a vertically disposed pulley 20 at the 'forward end of the toboggan with the Vextended end of the cable 1'7* provided with "a ring 21 by which the cable is adapted toibe 'gripped by hand. In the same manner, the vcable V13, 'which is attachedrto the block 15, 'is 'trained over a pulley 22 on the trailing end of the toboggan and (around av pulley at the forward end, similar to the pulley 20, with "the extended end of the cable provided with a hand gripping ring 23 by which 'the steering elernents'on "one side of the `toboggan are actuated. l

As illustrated in Figure 3, vthe trailing Yend ofthe toboggan is provided with a panel 24 'having cleats 25 and 26 at the ends and a block 27 in the 'intermediate part and the blocks 14 and 15 are s lidably mountedfin a slot positioned between the panel 24 and a cover 28 whereby 'the blocks are held 'between the 'panel 'and cover and are adapted to f'slide laterally. l

Also a's illustrated in Figure 3, the cable 17, which extends around the pulley 19, is attached to the lblock 14 Vwith a loop 29 'on the end ofV the 'cable extended through an opening 30 in theblock and the 'cable 18, which etxends around 'the 'pulley 22, is fastened't'o the blo/'ck 15 Vin a similar manner 'withaloop '31 on the end of the cable extended throughan opening 32 'in vthe sinall section of the block.

t The block :14is also .provided 'withanopening 33 finto which 'an upwardly extended-end lofthe'gide rod '12 extends and the block 15 is provided with a similar opening 35 in which an L-shaped end 36 of the guide rod 13 is positioned.

The block 14 is also provided with a tang 37 in which one end of the spring 16 is held and the block 15 is provided with a similar tang 38 to which the opposite end of the spring is connected.

The pulley 19 is rotatably mounted by a pin 39 between the panel 24 and cover 28 and the pulley 22 is rotatably mounted by a pin 40 also secured in the panel 24 and cover 28.

The pulleys 2t), at the forward end of the toboggan, are rotatably mounted by pins 41 between arms 42 and 43 of the brackets 44 and, as illustrated in Figure 1, the brackets are mounted on a base 45 of the toboggan, the base being preferably formed of a relatively thin sheet of material.

The panel 24 is mounted on the rear end of the base 45 and the forward end of the base is provided with an arcuate section or roll, as indicated by the numeral 46.

Therbase is also provided with transversely disposed struts, as indicated by the numeral 47 and a reinforcingY Y Y stripr48 maybe provided at the center.

With the parts assembled and installed on a toboggan, as illustrated` and described, itv will be noted that a -pull ontheffing 23 pulls the block 15 toward one side of Y the toboggan with the block bending or flexing the guideA rod 13 and.V with the ring 21 released the spring 16 Vcauses the Vblock 14 .to follow the block 15 whereby the guide rod 12 also bends or exes toward the opposite side of the toboggan thereby guiding the toboggan toward the right-hand side thereof.

Inra similar manner, a pull on the ring 21 moves the block 14 and also the block 15 through the spring 16 e toward theopposite side or toward the positionk ofthe block 14 shown inr full lines in Figure 3, whereby the toboggan is steered toward the left.

, By pulling-on-bothof the rings 21and 23, the spring 16 stretches and both of the blocks'14 and 15 arer drawn outwardly to the positions illustrated by the full lines f in Figure 3 whereby a bring action is provided and the toboggan may be brought to a standstill.

With the parts formed in this manner, the steering mechanism may readily be installed on a toboggan now in use anda person sitting upon the toboggan andV holding the rings 23 and 21 may steer and guide the toboggan or may retard the progress thereof.

It will be understood that modications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention..

VWhat is claimed is'.

1. A toboggan steering assembly comprising spaced longitudinally disposed flexible rods adapted to be mounted on the lower surface of a toboggan with the ends of the rodsV at the forward end of the toboggan secured to stationary runners mounted on the Vforward end of the 2. A steering assembly for a toboggan comprising longitudinally disposed spaced parallel eXible rods adapted to berpositioned against the lower surface of a toboggan, means securing the forward ends of the rods to the forward end of the toboggan, laterally slidable blocks positioned in the trailing end of the toboggan, a

panel and cover on the trailing end of the toboggan y spaced from each other to provide an elongated slot in Y 4 i which said blocks are'slidably mounted, a guide'block mounted intermediate of said Vpanel andcover coacting with said'bloc'zksto'guide their movement, the trailing ends of said lexible rods being attached to said blocks, a spring connecting the blocks, cables trained over pulleys and having rings on the forward ends thereof connected to the blocks and extended to the forward Yend of the toboggan whereby pulling the. cables draws the blocks outwardly toward the sides of the toboggan.

3. A steering assembly for a toboggan comprising longitudinally disposed spaced parallel ileXible rods adapted to be positioned against the lower surface of a toboggan, means securing the vforward ends of thevrods to the forward end of the toboggan, laterally slidable blocks positioned in the trailing' end of the toboggan, a panel Vand cover on the trailing end of the toboggan spaced fromV each other to provideV an elongated slot in which said locks are slidably mounted, a guide block mounted in- Y termediate of said panel' and cover vcroacti'ng withfsaid blocks to guide their movement, the trailing ends of said exible rods being attached to said blocks, a spring connecting the blocks, .cables Vtrained over pulleys and having rings on the forward ends thereof connected to the blocks and extended to the forward end of the t0- boggan whereby pulling the cables draws the blocks outwardly toward the sides of the toboggan, said springVV causing one block to follow the other.

4. In a toboggan, the combination which comprises spaced parallel stationary guides positioned on the under surface of the forward endrof a toboggan, blocks mounted to slide laterally positioned in the trailing end of the toboggan, a panel and cover on the trailing end of they toboggan spaced from each other to provide an elongated slot in which said blocks are slidably mounted, a guide block mounted intermediate of said panel and cover coacting with said blocks to guide their movement, ex'

ible rods connected to the stationary guides and blocks, a spring connecting the blocks and cables with hand receiving rings on the forward ends lextended from the blocks to the forward end of the toboggan, said cables being positioned to actuate the blocks laterally.V f f l References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES `PYEl'FS 2,006,328 Scholtes a June 25, 2,027,128 Tessiner Jan. 7, 1936 2,187,437 wanat Jan. 16, 1940 2,233,012 Holbrook Feb. 25, 1941 2,677,551 Berg May 4, 1954V FOREIGN PATENTS V 27,386 Great Britain Dec. 11,1907 241,126 Switzerland June 17,1946 

